Rainboomology · 10:49pm May 17th, 2014
A few weeks ago Seattle's Angels did a really nice review of Rainbooms and Rationality. Take a look here if you missed it – also check out their other reviews – these guys do a great job in finding good stories.
It's particularly cool to get a boost in interest in R&R now, as I'm now finalising a new rainboom themed piece. This one started from a scene I developed for that story, but then didn't use, in which Scootaloo does some library research on the sonic rainboom, and compiles a scrapbook of press cuttings about her big sister hero.
In writing this, I compiled a list of unanswered questions about the sonic rainboom:
1. Why was Rainbow Dash unable to do a sonic rainboom during training?
2. Is a rainboom triggered by simply flying faster than sound, or is there something more to it?
3. Is any pony capable of doing it, if they're fast enough? And if so, what colour would it be?
4. Why was Rainbow Dash's first sonic rainboom not universally recognised?
5. How many ponies achieved a rainboom before Rainbow Dash? Why was it considered an 'old mares' tale'?
6. What is the connection between the sonic rainboom and the elements of harmony?
7. How exactly did the rainboom create the 'special magical connection' between Twilight and friends?
We have, of course, been overanalysing rainbooms since season one. But maybe it's worth revisiting in the light of rainbow power. Any new theories?
Skimming through my favourites list. Questions 1-3 are addressed by: How to do a sonic rainboom (bit sentimental for my taste, but an excellent story nonetheless). Rainbooms and Royalty has some great ideas, (Yes, the title of Rainbooms and Rationality was a fusion of this and HPMOR). HopeFox also writes a great account of Dash's first rainboom in Dash's Secret. I'm sure there's plenty more which I missed.
Word Play
Rainboom is a great word in English; and it gives the translators a nice challenge:
English:............Rainbow............Sonic Boom............Sonic Rainboom
French:............Arc-en-ciel............Bang supersonique............Arc-en-ciel supersonique
German:............Regenbogen............Uberschallknall............Ultraschallrainboom
Swedish: ............Regnbåge............Ljudbang............Rainbows ljudbang
Italian:............Arcobaleno............Boom sonico............Arcoboom sonico
Spanish:............Arco iris............Explosión sónica............Rain-plosión Sónica
Polish:............Tęcza............Grom dźwiękowy............Ponaddźwiękowe Bum
Russian:............Радуга (Raduga)............Звуковой удар (Zvukovoy udar)............Звуковая радуга (Zvukovaya raduga)
Japanese:............虹 / にじ (Niji)............ソ ニックブーム (Sonikkubūmu)............ソニックレインブーム (Sonikkureinbūmu)
(Compiled from mlp.wikia.com and wikipedia). As far as I can tell, the French and Russian versions mean “(super)sonic rainbow”; Spanish, Swedish and German mix the English with their own; Japanese just transliterates the English; the Polish seems to mean “supersonic boom”. Italian seems to do the best job at fusing a new word. Incidentally baleno can translate as lightning bolt, flash or possibly, dash.
Back to the English. 'Rainbow' is a lovely word. But what does it mean exactly? A bow which appears in the rain. Not the sort of bow that Apple Bloom wears in her mane – although the allusion to such cuteness seems appropriate (picture a Sonic Rainbloom) But an arch shape like an archery bow. In other words rainbow is a sort of wet version of ice archery.
Hmm. Given those seven questions, rainbooms would seem to be a form of harmonic magic. Far-reaching, potent, rainbow-colored, and setting destiny on track. (Of course, the concept of "destiny" raises all sorts of questions...) Logically, this would mean that rainbooms can only be done for the benefit of others: the first for Fluttershy, the second for Rarity and the Wonderbolts... and I guess after that muscle memory trumped magical limitiations, because Dash is just that awesome. It's possible that only a pony with a strong connection to an Element could perform it.
I realize this is far from a complete hypothesis, but it's where my mind went.
On questions 1 and 2:
I think a rainboom is what happens when a pegasus breaks the sound barrier, using pegasus magic (because otherwise it would be impossible, i mean seriously). Rainbow was unable to break the barrier when training because self doubt was affecting her magic.
Evidence:
- The S4 finale finally proved that pegasi fly at least partially via magic.
- Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3 showed us that a pegasus' mood does affect the weather, ergo it must be doing so via their magic.
In fact, Scootaloo could probably fly, but is just not self-confident enough to do it.